Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we’re going to take a look at what I was hoping to style when I shot my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD. At that time, the Anne Klein blazer I’m wearing below was not yet in my wardrobe and the other red plaid blazer I have was way too big. I vowed to one day shoot the plaid tuxedo look I had in mind but I had no idea that that day would come so soon. A few short weeks later, I found the perfect blazer during a TJMaxx shopping trip! Take a look and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

• Plaid Blazer: Anne Klein, TJMaxx
• Black Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster
• Plaid Skinny Jeans: Wild Fable, Target
• Platform Boots: Forever 21
• Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

As I mentioned, I have had the idea for this Mad For Plaid look since November and I was so happy to see it come into fruition this past weekend. This is actually the first time in lifewithlilred history that I used the same piece of clothing in two OOTDs so close together but it needed to happen and I love the end result! Like my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD, I began with the Wild Fable yellow plaid skinnies and began to build the outfit from there…

For this OOTD, the most important thing was to avoid looking cluttered because the plaid on plaid combo is so bold. I have featured my mittoshop cami in many an OOTD and return to it often when I need a neutral top. This cami looks just as cute tucked in as it does worn normally and I chose to tuck it in for this look. I wouldn’t call it flowy but it does have some movement to it and that wouldn’t do for the sleek silhouette I had envisioned. Also, peep that peek a boo lace detailing from underneath the blazer – the sweetest way to show some skin in an almost fully covered look!

After the pants and top were sorted, all that was left to do was throw the blazer on and accessorize. At first, you might think that a plaid on plaid in two different color palettes could never work together. So, I wanted to discuss the reasons why this Anne Klein blazer was a thumbs up instead of a faux pas. The main key to the pants and blazer creating fashion magic is the pattern itself. Notice that the plaid pattern is almost identical in both pieces. This made the pants feel like an extension of the jacket and you can see where the plaid almost matches up perfectly in each piece.

The other component to these two statement items being cohesive was the color palette. Other than the red base, the blazer uses all of the colors found in the pants. The red and yellow are also found close together on the color wheel so they worked in unity rather than against each other. The black and white in both plaids were no matter, either, because they are both neutrals. And, finally, both of these pieces have a straight but fitted shape which kept the look flowing rather than breaking it up with two completely different fits.

Once the plaid tuxedo was on, shoes and jewelry were next and I went with my favorite pair of Forever 21 platforms. Like my cami, these babies appear in a lot of my looks but not for practicality’s sake – they just look awesome lol. The platform shape helped add to the punk vibe but the primary reason for choosing them was the pop of color on the back. These boots have red and gold flames, which further tied the jacket and pants together.

For jewelry, I kept things minimal because the plaid was an accessory in itself. When a look is this loud, too much jewelry can literally destroy the outfit through unnecessary distractions. I decided to go for my huge gold hoops by Argentino Vivo for one final touch of fun. I liked how it almost mimicked the outfit’s color palette with my red hair and the gold earrings. They also provided a bit of movement, which I didn’t want in the clothing but wanted to incorporate elsewhere. I think it worked!

This Mad For Plaid OOTD turned out exactly how I hoped it would and I am so proud of it. Tune in tomorrow for bloopers from this look!

What is your favorite pattern? Are you doing any post holiday shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah